BEAMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday 28th April 2014in the Skyrm Room at the Public Hall, Beaminster at 7.00pm.

Prior to the meeting Cllr Mrs R Knox provided members with an overview of the new organisation structure at Dorset County Council. A copy of the presentation is available for those members unable to be present.

1076PRESENT– Cllr G Berry (Chairman),Cllr Mrs V Baldwin, Cllr Mrs R Beeny, Cllr P Body,

Cllr Ms A Cameron, Cllr R Cheeseman, Cllr Mrs R Knox, Cllr Mrs J Page and

Cllr C Turner.

1077IN ATTENDANCE – Mrs Christine Bright (Town Clerk)and one member of the public.

1078REPORTS FROM AND QUESTIONS FOR:

(a)Dorset Police Representative

In the absence of a Police no report was received.

(b) West Dorset District Councillors

Councillor Mrs Page advised that the District Council were undertaking a fundamental review of all its services, and consultation with Town and Parish councils would be part of this process.

(c) DorsetCounty Councillor

Councillor Mrs Knox advised that:

  • In view of the decision to withdraw funding to the Country Car Scheme, she

had met with Mr Bateman, the co-ordinator of the Beaminster service to

discuss how the service might be retained

  • During the summer months a number of consultation events were planned,

two scheduled to take place in Beaminster, possibly in the Square on a

Friday morning in June

In response to a question from Cllr Cheeseman asking whether the County and

District Council’s have the opportunity to make representations to Central Government

in respect of the cuts and legislation Cllr Mrs Knox advised that the County Council

was a member of the South West Partnership whose meetings were attended by

representatives from Central Government.

1079APOLOGIES–Apologies for absence were received from Cllr P Elliott, Cllr Mrs S Samueland District Councillor Mrs C Payne.

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1080 MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 24TH MARCH 2014

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 24th March 2014havingpreviously been

circulatedwere confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

1081DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

No declarations were received.

1082REPORTS FOR OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS

(a) Speedwatch Scheme – Cllr Mrs Baldwin reported that since the Scheme began in

September 2013 the volunteers had been ‘in operation’ on 11 occasions: 2,503 vehicles had been registered, of which 99 had been exceeding the 20mph limit resulting in 61

Police letters being issued. To date, the highest speed recorded in Tunnel Road

had been 55mph. Cllr Mrs Baldwin advised that more volunteers were needed in order

to increase the number of checks undertaken. A decision on permanent

warning signs would be taken in due course.

(b) DAPTC – Cllr Turner reported that both he and Cllr Mrs Page had recently attended

the Towns & Larger Councils meeting at Blandford, which had been held in conjunction

with members of the DAPTC Executive Committee, for a presentation by the Town

Clerk, Trowbridge Town Council, on the advantages/disadvantages of working within a

Unitary structure.

1083 PAYMENTS AND RECEIPTS

Members were circulated with a list of payments, chequenumbers 103858 – 103862 and cheque number 103867, together with a direct debit payment between 24thMarch 2014 and 31st March 2014 totalling £3074.43 also receipts totalling £453.64.

Members were circulated with a list of payments, cheque numbers 10865, 103866, 103868 – 103876, together with direct debit payments between 1st April 2014 and 30th April 2014 totalling £12,211.10 also receipts totalling £2055.67

Members RESOLVED toAPPROVE the lists, copiesof which areattached.

1084ALLOTMENT & CEMETERY WORKING PARTY

Members had previously been circulated with the minutes of the Allotment & Cemetery

Working Partymeeting held on 4th April 2014. NOTED.

Cllr Mrs Baldwin wished to record that she had undertaken an inspection of the allotments

prior to the meeting on 4th April 2014. NOTED

Plot Nos 25 and 31b – It was RESOLVED to serve one months notice for non cultivation

of the allotment plot to the respective tenants.

Plot 41a – due to the difficulty in cultivating this plot it was AGREED to utilise the space

to install two compost bins.

1085PLANNING APPLICATION WD/D/14/000620 – 1 MONMOUTH GARDENS

In order to meet the response deadline members were asked to consider this application

prior to the next scheduled Planning Advisory & Highways meeting. It was RESOLVED to

RECOMMEND APPROVAL.

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1086 DORSET WASTE PARTNERSHIP – SPRING CLEAN 2014

Members NOTED ‘The Big Tidy Up’ campaignwould co-ordinatethe annual ‘Keep Britain

Tidy’ Spring Clean 2014. After due consideration, and in view of past apathy it was

AGREED not to participate.

1087INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY ACTION

Members had previously been circulated with correspondence received from Mr Theo Langdon in which the Town Council was invited to submit a statement of its views on the recent flooding in Somerset and the wider implications, to form part of a report being compiled by the charity International Emergency Action.

Discussion ensued including reference to the Town’s Emergency Plan and membersfelt that this subject was considerablygreater than Beaminster and its community. It was acknowledged that theoretical and practical reactions to challenging circumstances would be different and could only be identified by experience. The best the Council might achieve would be to ensure the Emergency Plan was reviewed and updated on a regular basis. In response to a question from Mr Langdon the Chairman confirmed that the Town Council were reasonably happy with the Emergency Plan and experience would tell when challenged.

1088CORRESPONDENCE

No items of significant correspondence had been received since the last meeting.

1089 PROGRESS REPORTS

Members had previously been circulated with a written progress report on all outstanding

issues. NOTED.

Under this heading the Town Clerk advised an exhibitor who hired the Cowie Room during

Dorset Art Week had submitted a request to install a picture rail to enable her to hang

pictures. Quotations had been obtained, and the exhibitor had offered to contribute the

sum of £100 towards the cost. It was AGREED to accept the quotation submitted by

Mr R Crabb in the sum of £275.

1090 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

No items were identified.

1091DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The date of the next meeting was NOTED as Tuesday 27th May 2014.

1092 MEETING- The meeting which started at 7.15pm closed at 8.20pm

CHAIRMAN

27th May 2014

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TOWN COUNCIL MEETING – MONDAY 28THAPRIL 2014

PAYMENTS AND RECEIPTS

PAYMENTS at 31st March 2014

CHQ NO

D/D Wessex Water Water – Cemetery 14.46

103858 BEG Electrical Replacement lights – Public Hall 199.92

103859 Larcombes Paint – Public Hall & General

Supplies 334.71

103860 Fowler Hire & Sales Scaffold hire – internal decoration 111.60

103861 The Roman Group Stationery 16.74

103862 R. Crabb Internal decoration 1762.00

103867 R. Crabb Internal decoration 635.00

PAYMENTS after 1st April 2014

CHQ NO

D/D Andrews & Arnold Monthly Web site fee 6.00

D/D Aviva Insurance 313.05

D/D UK Fuels Tractor fuel 26.60

D/D Danwood Photocopier Lease 373.68

D/D Dorset County Council Wheelie bins 80.72

D/D BT Telephone charges – Office 29.62

103865/66 Donovan Atyeo/D. Vile Salary (April)ENI NI & PAYE 4713.49

103868 Shaun Annetts Roof works – interim payment 5050.40

103869 C. Bradley Delivery – APM agenda 80.00

103870 C. Bright Stationery 17.12

103871 Footprintz Honorary Townsperson Invitations 33.00

103872 Footprintz Printing – Annual Parish Meeting 587.80

103873 Guy Crabb Install new tap – allotments 52.62

103874 VWP Support hours 300.00

103875 Beaminster Festival Grant 400.00

103876 SLCC Subscription 147.00

TOTAL 15,285.53

RECEIPTS

Amounts credited to No 2 account at 31st March 2014

HSCBBank Interest 3.64

King Public Hall hire 30.3.14 35.00

K. Crabb Public Hall hire 25.3.14 415.00

Amounts credited between 1.4.2104– 28.4.2014

K. Crabb Hall bookings 7.4.2014 200.00

Hall bookings 8.4.2014 299.00

Hall booking 15.4.2014 264.00

Hall booking 25.4.2014 98.00

WDDC Hall booking – polling station 225.00

King Public Hall hire 4.4.2014 35.00

Public Hall hire 11.4.2014 35.00

Public Hall hire 22.4.2014 35.00

Public Hall hire 25.4.2014 35.00

Richard Green Memorial K M Rogers 80.00

C. Pollock Memorial B J Wiles 80.00

NSIB Interest 47.77

Allotment Rents Plots 1a, 2, 3a, 8a, 8b, 10, 12, 12a, 15,

16, 17, 18, 19a,19b, 20b, 21, 22, 26, 28,

29a, 29b, 30a, 31a, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42 & 44 313.20

Allotment Rents Plots 4, 6, 9, 14, 19, 30b, 30c & 41b 123.95

TOTAL 2,509.31

Note for Council Information

The above payments are approved expenditure items within existing contracts and / or the agreed budget framework.

Councillors expenses having been vetted and authorised by the Chairman/Town Clerk or in the case of the Chairman’s expenses, by the Vice Chairman. Receipts are those from expected sources, and within budget projections.

Christine Bright

Responsible Finance Officer Page 176

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